Clickers

[Nature Boy]

I have a Widden custom “full length” mandrel die for my .308 that doesn’t size all the way down and I get clickers after 2-3 firings.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Your not alone.

 

[fatelvis]

The Mauser bolt click.....

Thats a pretty cool film clip!

 

[Link]

Ok I bought a caliper and a micrometer that measure to the 4th place on Mr. B.A.s recommendation. All my brass seems to measure the same at the .2 mark. Where the difference seems to be is at the 1/2 way mark.
Fired cases =
.4710 dia at .2 /
.675 dia at .562/
.4625 dia at 1.125 [where 40* shoulder meets the body.
Sized cases with my Harrell's die are .
.4695 dia at ,2 mark
If I run them through a 30 06 die then bump the shoulder .002 the bolt then falls easy.
I have sent in 3 cases to Harrell's for a custom die. I guess this is the only sure way to get a good fit.

ty Don ;}

 

[moondog]

Going through this currently with a
6.5x55 gwi. Any suggestions on who
can do a Die correctly besides Warner?
Not had the best luck with Whidden lately.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Going through this currently with a
6.5x55 gwi. Any suggestions on who
can do a Die correctly besides Warner?
Not had the best luck with Whidden lately.

Warner does a good job and once you spread it across a few chamberings its not too bad. You can also order a resize reamer and have your smith make one. I have wasted a lot of money on custom dies that are scrap. That's not unique to me either. As usual buy once cry once applies

 

[moondog]

I did ge

Warner does a good job and once you spread it across a few chamberings its not too bad. You can also order a resize reamer and have your smith make one. I have wasted a lot of money on custom dies that are scrap. That's not unique to me either. As usual buy once cry once applies

I did buy a Warner Die for my 338LM Imp.
It is a work of art, does a fantastic job, was expensive, took A LONG time. Worth every dime. It's the time! I got more years behind me than I do in front.

 

[rardoin]

Going through this currently with a
6.5x55 gwi. Any suggestions on who
can do a Die correctly besides Warner?
Not had the best luck with Whidden lately.

PM sent

 

[Murray Brook]

@Link
For your info-- I have a Forster 6mm BR die ( standard die with the neck honed to .265) that sizes my cases at the .200 line to .4694 My other sizing die , a Redding body die sizes the cases at the same point to .4700-.4701. I believe on my last session of shooting I got some clickers on my 3x fired brass using the Redding body die. My chamber is a sammi minnium specs.

 

[Martin52]

I have a Widden custom “full length” mandrel die for my .308 that doesn’t size all the way down and I get clickers after 2-3 firings.

I have a gap of 0.010 between the top of the shell holder and the base of one of my dies, a FLS custom die, when set for .002 shoulder bump. It minimises the amount the brass is worked so that part is good but after a couple of firings I have to use my off the shelf Hornady New Dimension FLS that screws to 'touch' the shell holder, although also reduces the rest of the case a little more - eg shoulder diameter is 0.003 is less that the custom die. Have thought about a Warner in the past but not sure how it manages the situation when a new barrel is fixed and the smith uses a slightly different reamer, do you need a completely new Warner die or do the inserts just have to be changed to suit the new reamer cut ?

 

[BoydAllen]

Alternate to a custom die: For several projects I did something that I learned about from a friend. Buy a stock FL die and size a well used (work hardened) fired case with it, one that is large enough that the die reduces it all along the entire body. Measure the sized case very carefully, and order a chambering reamer that gives you the clearances that you want. I have done this for myself, and ordered reamers for friends using this approach. If carefully done, it works.

 

[Martin52]

Alternate to a custom die: For several projects I did something that I learned about from a friend. Buy a stock FL die and size a well used (work hardened) fired case with it, one that is large enough that the die reduces it all along the entire body. Measure the sized case very carefully, and order a chambering reamer that gives you the clearances that you want. I have done this for myself, and ordered reamers for friends using this approach. If carefully done, it works.

Effectively selecting a reamer based on the dimensions of the resized case. Allows the use of an off the shelf die whilst delivering the benefits of a custom die. Thanks.

 

[moondog]

I have a gap of 0.010 between the top of the shell holder and the base of one of my dies, a FLS custom die, when set for .002 shoulder bump. It minimises the amount the brass is worked so that part is good but after a couple of firings I have to use my off the shelf Hornady New Dimension FLS that screws to 'touch' the shell holder, although also reduces the rest of the case a little more - eg shoulder diameter is 0.003 is less that the custom die. Have thought about a Warner in the past but not sure how it manages the situation when a new barrel is fixed and the smith uses a slightly different reamer, do you need a completely new Warner die or do the inserts just have to be changed to suit the new reamer cut ?

You can get just the inserts.

 

[Martin52]

You can get just the inserts.

Good to know, thanks, makes it more cost effective in the long run.

 

[moondog]

The bodies are based off case size. I had to get a large body die for my 338Imp.
So, you are limited to inserts in that "family "
Of sizes. Just something to keep in mind.

Good to know, thanks, makes it more cost effective in the long run.

 

[JFrank]

I have a gap of 0.010 between the top of the shell holder and the base of one of my dies, a FLS custom die, when set for .002 shoulder bump. It minimises the amount the brass is worked so that part is good but after a couple of firings I have to use my off the shelf Hornady New Dimension FLS that screws to 'touch' the shell holder, although also reduces the rest of the case a little more - eg shoulder diameter is 0.003 is less that the custom die. Have thought about a Warner in the past but not sure how it manages the situation when a new barrel is fixed and the smith uses a slightly different reamer, do you need a completely new Warner die or do the inserts just have to be changed to suit the new reamer cut ?

Reset your shell holder to die clearance to .009 will help that

 

[Link]

I have a gap of 0.010 between the top of the shell holder and the base of one of my dies, a FLS custom die, when set for .002 shoulder bump. It minimises the amount the brass is worked so that part is good but after a couple of firings I have to use my off the shelf Hornady New Dimension FLS that screws to 'touch' the shell holder, although also reduces the rest of the case a little more - eg shoulder diameter is 0.003 is less that the custom die. Have thought about a Warner in the past but not sure how it manages the situation when a new barrel is fixed and the smith uses a slightly different reamer, do you need a completely new Warner die or do the inserts just have to be changed to suit the new reamer cut ?

Custom shell holders would cure that ? .010

 

[JFrank]

Custom shell holders would cure that ? .010

There’s really nothing to cure just adjust the die down a thousand or two, I run about .0035 headspace with no issues

 

[B23]

Warner does a good job and once you spread it across a few chamberings its not too bad. You can also order a resize reamer and have your smith make one. I have wasted a lot of money on custom dies that are scrap. That's not unique to me either. As usual buy once cry once applies

Which commercially available, non custom dies do you recommend or think are better than others. This isn't a trick question as to start a brand war, we all like what we like. Doesn't mean I'll run out and buy all new dies but I respect your opinion and I'd be very interested in hearing which dies you recommend and why.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Hornady makes custom dies. So long as you give them the right numbers, they do a very good job. I have resize reamers and make dies for some of my wild cats but Im also very satisfied with the dies I have Hornady make for me. I have them make me 300 nmi, 338 lap imp, and 300 saum imp. All have worked very well. All that matters is that a case is squeezed the right amount and is reasonably straight. If your die does that spending more wont shrink your groups. I have lost track of how many records have been set with Harrell's $75 6BRA die.